Hello to the members of this wonderful community. I sincerely hope that everyone is feeling fantastic and that today is going well.

This is my entry for the "Steemit Engagement Challenge S4:W1 - CYBERBULLYING." challenge, which is being organized by @steem-cameroon.

1. What is your understanding on Cyber bullying?

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Cyberbullying is a new and rapidly growing form of bullying that has quickly become one of society's most common. In fact, cyberbullying is almost as common as face-to-face bullying. If you are unfamiliar with the term "cyberbullying," it is a type of online harassment in which an individual is attacked by cruel comments and images sent anonymously by other people via social media sites such as Facebook, Snapchat, Kik Messenger, Twitter, and so on... Cyberbullying can take many forms, from name calling to posting offensive pictures or videos of a person. The primary goal of cyberbullies is always the same: to harm their victim's reputation and emotional state. It makes no difference if their target was unable to defend themselves against bullying; what matters is that the perpetrator was able to do so with ease.

2. Have you ever been a victim or perpetrator of Cyber bullying?

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Yes. I recall experiencing cyberbullying for the first time and not understanding what was happening. I was at my grandmother's house when I received a Facebook message from a friend. She stated that she had received a Facebook message from a boy from my previous school who stated that he did not like me. I even now remember questioning why somebody would wish to bully me. But I decided to look into my friend's Facebook message. When I read the message, I noticed that it was riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes. I knew it wasn't from my friend and that it had to have been sent by someone else at school.

So I messaged the boy back and asked him, "Why don't you just talk to me like a human being instead of trying to get under my skin like this? He didn't address me as a human being; instead, he wrote me back with a list of insults that I won't repeat here. Despite feeling hurt and bewildered, I was adamant that I would track down the perpetrator. I was confident about identifying the cyberbully who was harassing me. My friends and family rallied around me, but my teacher did nothing. I didn't fully comprehend cyberbullying until I became a victim myself. I came to understand how detrimental to health cyberbullying is at that moment.

3. Give an instance (if any) wherein you or someone you know felt bullied in cyberspace, and what spiked such a feeling. (It could be throughout any social platform)

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I recall receiving a message from a boy in my class. He told me, "You ought to end your life." And, "You're a waste of space." And, "You'd be better off dead." I was astounded that someone would say such things to me. When I confronted the boy, he explained that he was only looking for a reaction from me. But I knew that wasn't true because he was the one who elicited my emotional reaction. I didn't know what to do. I felt helpless. I was afraid that if I told anyone about what had happened to me, the perpetrator would track me down.

I searched the internet for an answer. StopCyberBullying.org was recommended to me. They stated that if you want to report something online, you must do so immediately. So I went on Facebook and messaged the person. I notified him that he was harassing me online. Instead of apologizing, they told me they were just joking and meant nothing by it. I was furious. I sent them another message in which I stated that I was not joking and that I wanted the person to stop. I didn't know what to do. I was terrified and helpless. I made the decision then that I needed to find a way to safeguard myself against cyberbullying.

4. How did this encounter affect this said person?

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I'd like to say it made the person feel bad and they apologized, but that didn't happen. It only fueled his rage, and he continued cyberbullying me until I was suspended from school. When I think about it now, I'm so glad I found that site because I might have let it get to me for years if I hadn't. If I had allowed that person to affect me for years, I would have felt like a failure, insecure, and worthless. Instead, I was able to teach him the importance of respect and acceptance.

5. How safe do you feel on Steemit? And have you ever felt bullied at any point in time? (on Steemit)

On the Steemit platform, I feel very secure. And I have never felt bullied on this platform. Despite the fact that I have only been posting for a short time, I feel very respected on this platform. I've seen some people on Steemit who appear to be bullying others, but I haven't personally witnessed any of this. I can't imagine anyone doing that without being banned.

6. What lessons did you gain from such a scenario? And what advice can you give to your audience?

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• It is critical to be aware of what is going on online. This includes being aware of what others are saying about you as well as what they are saying to one another.

• It is critical to be cautious about what you say online. Once something is said, it is never undone. Consider your options before posting!

I invite, @analem, @juzkid and @sadiqxylo to join this contest